1.) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic syphon system, which will remove a liquid from a first area and displace the liquid to a second area which is at a lower height or elevation from the first area. This invention will automatically begin the syphon action as the liquid level in the first area rises to a predetermined depth and will automatically stop the syphon action when the liquid level in the first area is lowered to a predetermined depth because of the syphon action. This cycle will be repeated every time the liquid level rises in the first area. This invention does not require any outside source of energy such as electricity or water pressure but uses the energy of the rising water level and the weight of the liquid under the force of gravity between the first area and the second area to begin the syphon action.
2.) Description of the Prior Art
The principle of the syphon is a useful method to move a liquid from a first higher elevation to a second lower elevation, which uses the force of gravity to move the liquid in an enclosed or air tight conduit or pipe from the liquid at the first higher elevation to the second lower elevation. The conduit or pipe can follow any path of higher or lower elevations between the first higher elevation and the second lower elevation as long as the inlet to the conduit is submerged in the liquid and the outlet to the conduit is at the second lower elevation.
The syphon principle is used to move liquids from one container to another, to remove an accumulation of liquid such as water from the tops of swimming pool covers, flat roofs and building basements, and to flush areas where debris may collect such as drainage systems.
The differences between existing applications of the syphon relate mainly to the way that the syphon action is initiated and terminated. To initiate the syphon action, the conduit or pipe must be filled with liquid, and the flow from the inlet to the outlet of the conduit must be unrestricted. To terminate the syphon action, the conduit must be emptied of liquid or the flow must be restricted.
Examples of patents which use the rising level to fill the conduit are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,865,069 and 4,798,222 They utilize a conduit with an inverted "U" at the inlet and a route of the conduit to the outlet which is of ever decreasing elevation. In this arrangement, the rising liquid level reaches the neck or top of the inverted "U" and fills the conduit to the discharge point which starts the syphon action. The syphon action continues until the level is lower than the inlet and air is admitted which displaces the liquid from the conduit. The disadvantage of this syphon system is that the level must rise to a height of the highest point of the conduit in the system. This does not allow the conduit to follow a path between the intake and discharge elevations which is higher than the elevation of the top of the inverted "U".
Examples of patents which use another accumulation or source of liquid to fill the conduit as the level at the inlet rises to a predetermined level are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,406,300 and 4,651,767.
They utilize either reservoirs higher in elevation than the intake, which is filled with liquid as the intake area accumulates liquid or an independent source of liquid such as a pressurized water system. A level sensing means releases the liquid from the higher reservoir after a predetermined depth has been reached. The released liquid then fills the conduit to initiate the syphon action. Alternately, an independent source of liquid under pressure is released into the conduit to initiate the syphon action after a level sensing means detects a predetermined depth at the syphon intake.
The syphon action then continues until the level at the intake is lowered to a predetermined depth and air enters the conduit.
These devices require either auxiliary reservoirs with liquid release mechanisms, which can be complicated and unreliable or piping under pressure, which can be damaged by freezing temperatures, and require a source of pressurized liquid.
Examples of patents which restrict the flow to terminate the syphon action and unrestrict the flow to initiate the syphon action are Ser. No. 301,391 to Reinecke, U.S. Pat. No. 1,025,607 to Bliss, Ser. No. 335,236 to Parsons, Ser. No. 374,736 to Ayer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,068,995 to Ferroro, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,715 to Roa. They include automatic valve assemblies which restrict and unrestrict the inlet and/or the outlet of the syphon but have no provisions to prevent damage to the components of the system if the liquid freezes and expands, or to automatically restart the syphon action when temperatures rise above freezing.